President's Report 2012
This past year has been
an interesting and active one for Mariemont Preservation Foundation. We thank
you for your membership and support of the work that we do. We are grateful for
the many Mariemont residents who support us with their membership dollars. We
are also looking for members who would like to donate their time to MPF as well.
Please consider giving us a few hours of your time each month to help with our
mailings, or perhaps you would be interested in joining our team of docents to
conduct walking tours and give presentations to our schoolchildren. If you would
like to become an MPF volunteer, please contact Lisa Woodruff at
administration@mariemontpreservation.org.
MPF is actively involved
in several projects that affect the historic nature of the Village. In 2012, we
saw the sale of Dale Park School to the Waldorf School. MPF had several
representatives involved with trying to preserve the historic nature of the
building and its traditions. The Historic Districts are an important part of
Mariemont and part of Mary Emery’s dream to have a village where people of all
economic levels and family condition can live together and interact for better
understanding. MPF is working towards helping landlords preserve the historic
districts’ unique character as they maintain and renovate their buildings. MPF
wants to find ways for landlords to maintain and improve their properties with
modern, cost-saving building materials that also fit with the historic nature of
the properties. If you would like to be a part of this effort, please join us
and help provide a more substantial basis for decision-making regarding our
historic districts.
The Mariemont Directory
is published every two years as a service to the community and as a fund-raiser
for our organization. It is scheduled to be republished in 2013. As technology
changes have altered people’s habits when finding phone numbers and addresses,
we think the directory layout will have to change as well. We are asking for
ideas as you respond to an upcoming survey which will also collect information
on everyone’s address and phone number.
Our annual Taste of
Mariemont went well, with a good turn out on a beautiful day. MPF does not keep
the money generated by the food sales at this event. All proceeds go to the
participating restaurants. The Taste of Mariemont is our gift to the Village. In
December, the annual members-only holiday party filled the room at the National
Exemplar and was a good time to wind up the year’s activities. We are planning
some other events for the upcoming year and will keep you posted. If you have
any ideas of events you would like to see, please let us know!
A significant change
occurred this year, which I would be remiss to not mention. Janet Setchell,
MPF’s Executive Secretary and Archivist for 26 years, decided to retire. Seth
Rosin joined us for several months and helped us understand what the job
entails. Seth made some very good contributions but needed to resign for family
reasons, and we are now supported by Lisa Woodruff, our new Executive
Secretary/Archivist. Please welcome her when you visit.
All the best for the
coming year,
Don Keyes, President
Mission Statement & Goals
To foster within the community an appreciation for the unique qualities of the Village.
To assure the continuity of the principles of town planning.
- Adhere to the ideals presented in John Nolen's "Master Plan"
for Mariemont when addressing contemporary issues regarding town planning
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Support efforts to protect the status of Wooster Pike,
encourage rerouting of US 50 traffic, and support Lunken Airport flight pattern
controls, and monitor development of the "Eastern Corridor"
To collect and preserve historic archive and artifacts, and protect historic properties.
To perpetuate the dream of Mariemont's founder, Mary Emery, of the Village as a special place for family life.
MPF Accomplishments and Activities
Click below for a complete list of MPF's Accomplishments
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
MPF Board of Trustees
2012 - 2013
Officers:
President: Don Keyes
Vice President:
Joe Schneider
Secretary: Claire Kupferle
Treasurer:
Richard E. Adams
Trustees:
Judy Dooley
Cindy Dougherty
Amy Fischer
Karen Herkamp
Jeff Hinebaugh
Natatlie Lucas
Doug Manzier
Eric Marsland |
Gail McBride
Frank Racon
David C. Robsich
Millard F. Rogers, Jr.
Joe Stoner
Gretchen Thomas
David Zack
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Mayor, Ex-Officio: Dan Policastro
Executive Secretary & Archivist: Lisa Woodruff
Archival Assistant: Linda Bartlett
History of MPF
Preservation of the Past, Guidance for the Present, and Design for the Future
In 1980, a handful of residents of the Village of Mariemont joined together to create the Mariemont Preservation Foundation. The organization was incorporated in December of 1980 with the stated purpose being, "To receive and maintain funds to be used for public benefit to maintain and enhance the historic integrity of the Village, to avoid urban decay and beautify the Village, and to preserve and improve parks, playgrounds and public area. Such activities are for the ultimate purpose of enriching the lives of citizens of Mariemont."
The original Board of Trustees consisted of Clarence Erickson (the mayor at that time), Jim Cunningham, Alison Rink, Paul Prevey, Hope Kain, Caroline Schwenkmeyer, Ed Steinau, Warren Harding, and Millard Rogers. Twenty-five years later, Mr. Erickson and Mr. Rogers are still active Board members.
The first undertaking of the fledgling organization was to develop a landscape plan for the Village Square. As of June 1981, the group had $972.94 in the Treasury and met in the Council Chambers. The following year, MPF drafted a Master Plan for the Village, installed two antique lamps in front of the Municipal Building, planted trees in the Village Square, presented photos of the early Village taken by Nancy Ford Cones, and began a street lamp preservation project with financial support from the Emery Memorial.
As time went on, the group took on a wider range of activities. MPF was instrumental in pushing for a ban on digging at the Madisonville Site, an area with great archaeological significance. They also began to collect materials relating to the history of the Village, and in 1985, MPF moved to the Dale Park School (currently the Junior High). There was some storage space for the burgeoning Archives, as well as space to meet and conduct business. However, as the organization continued to expand, more space was needed, and in 1989, MPF renovated the old CG&E transformer building as their permanent headquarters.
Today, MPF has expanded its mission statement to encompass a variety of activities, as follows:
"To foster within the community an appreciation of the unique qualities of the Village. To assure the continuity of the principles of town planning. To collect and preserve historic archives and artifacts, and to protect historic properties. To perpetuate the dream of Mariemont's founder, Mary Emery, of the Village as a special place for family life."
The volunteers who make up MPF's Board of Trustees are active in many areas of Village life. Some of the activities include:
- Sponsorship of Taste of Mariemont as a gift to Village residents
- Tours and presentations for area grade school children
- Grant writing to secure funds for preservation of historic buildings
- Bringing in speakers for a Spring Brunch
- Maintaining archives for visitors and research
Membership/Volunteer Opportunities
If you would like to become more involved in the Mariemont Preservation Foundation, we have several areas where we need help:
- Archives (work under the supervision of our Archivist)
- Events (The annual Taste of Mariemont)
- Mariemont Directory (published biennially)
- Docent Program (train as a tour guide or presenter)
- Grant writing (seeking major funding)
- Website (programming, design and maintenance)
Please contact MPF about membership/volunteer opportunities:
Email:
administration@mariemontpreservation.org
Tel: 513-272-1166
3919 Plainville Road
Cincinnati, OH 45227
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